China visa

attica2k

Hi,

Im traveling to China for 3 weeks. $Can anyone tell me how I apply for a tourist visa.

Thankyou

Ponster

Goggle is your friend

For Irish passport holders who apply for any type of Chinese visa, the following is required: one completed visa application form (available on our website), one recent photograph for passport, passport valid up to at least six-months with blank pages.

You can either pay in cash or by cheque. If the latter, please make it payable to the Chinese Embassy.

For Irish citizen: 30.00 Euros for single entry,

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/

http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/EmbassyInfo/EmbassyInfoBigNews/t112836.htm

khmk

We are travelling to China in October and need to sort out visas. As we live in Limerick and work monday to friday, its nearly impossible for us to go ourselves to organise the visas at the embassy.

Does anyone know of any reliable travel agents or couriers around the Limerick area that we could use? I don't mind paying a little extra, I need the visas and I can't go get them myself.

Thanks in advance.

MagicMarker

What do you think other people do when they need a visa?

Take time off work.

khmk

Cheers thanks for that genius.

I can't take time off work otherwise I would. Thats why I'm asking.

irishworkerph

I am completely stupid when it comes to stuff like filling in forms. I am currently filling in the visa application form for China. It states that the form should be typed, does that actually mean you have to type in the details, or is that just the term used
http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/t112835.htm

help!

Dante10

Just use block capital letters.

marty30

Hi,

I'm visiting China in August and am flying into Beijing for a few days and then getting a flight to Hong Kong, however I was hoping to get a flight with a 8 hour stopover in Shanghai. My query is do I need to get a single or multiple entry visa?

Cheers

brnlghln

If you're visiting mainland China (Beijing etc), leaving AND then coming back then YES, you'll need a double entry or better.
i.e. Beijing for a few days (mainland) and then on to HK (not mainland) and then back to Beijing.
Shanghai doesn't count as having left the mainland.

HK is worth a visit IMHO.

If you're stuck, HK Chinese visa office can issue a visa in a matter of minutes to get you back to the mainland, but best get a double entry before you go as it's expensive.

marty30

Cheers for the information, from Hong Kong I'm heading onto Thailand so a single entry should do the job, thanks

Am really looking forward to HK,

Mintaholic

In August the temperature in HK can be up to 38°C...

Kold

How fast can one of these be obtained? I'm leaving for Japan on Sunday and Korea afterwards but I was wondering if I could get my Chinese Visa by next week so I wouldn't have to worry about trying to organise it in a country where I don't have the language. I looked at the Chinese embassy website and the enquiry line is 3pm-4pm tues-thurs, so I was hoping I could hear from someone here first.

spurious

Give Sino-Irish travel in Donnybrook a ring. They will know.
http://www.sinoirishtravel.ie/contactus.htm

Lazarus Malrax

How fast can one of these be obtained? I'm leaving for Japan on Sunday and Korea afterwards but I was wondering if I could get my Chinese Visa by next week so I wouldn't have to worry about trying to organise it in a country where I don't have the language. I looked at the Chinese embassy website and the enquiry line is 3pm-4pm tues-thurs, so I was hoping I could hear from someone here first.

Hi/ I think you will be cutting it fine hoping to have it for next week. I was waiting two weeks for mine and my wife waited nearly three weeks. She went through Trailfinders for hers and I went through Club Travel. Good luck with it...

gst

If you apply directly to the embassy you can pay for an express service that should take 2--3 days. So if you do that you might just make it. Source: http://ie.china-embassy.org/eng/Consular/AboutVisa/

They will be hanging on to your passport, though, so there is a risk. I'd check with them that you can get your passport back on Thursday if they don't have the visa issued. Note that application office is only open until noon each day. So if you wait until 3pm tomorrow to make your enquiry you will have missed the chance to get the paperwork in that day.

tallaghtfornia

I was in Beijing last year and you could buy you visa before you go through immigration. I think the cost was a bit more 60€ but it can be done.
Hope this helps

Kold

tallaghtfornia wrote: »

I was in Beijing last year and you could buy you visa before you go through immigration. I think the cost was a bit more 60€ but it can be done.
Hope this helps

Where did you fly in from? Did you arrive in China and then were given the option to purchase a holiday visa? 60e doesn't really phase me as a rtn train to Dublin costs more than that.

e04bf0c3

Hi all,

Has anyone applied for a chinese tourist visa lately? I'm hoping to go apply for mine this week but as you seem to have to go into the embassy, and it's difficult to get time off to do that, I want to make sure there's nothing obvious that I'm missing before I go!

Thanks for your help!

jos28

Does anyone have experience of applying directly to the Chinese Embassy for a holiday visa. Any idea if there are long queues

johnnyskeleton

jos28 wrote: »

Does anyone have experience of applying directly to the Chinese Embassy for a holiday visa. Any idea if there are long queues

I did several years ago, no problem. I know it's a stereotype but Chinese government departments are very efficient. If they say 72 hours then it will be done in 72 hours (or however log they take now).

Don't say you will visit Tibet, the northwest or Taiwan (afterwards)!

killbillvol2

jos28 wrote: »

Does anyone have experience of applying directly to the Chinese Embassy for a holiday visa. Any idea if there are long queues

I got one most recently in June.

Firstly, you go to the consulate, not the embassy. I went pretty much as soon as they opened (9 am) and was in and out in 10 minutes. When I was leaving there was a queue building. They're open 9-12 Mon-Thurs and it takes 4 working days.

Collection was from a separate window and was painless.

jos28

Thanks a million folks. Travel agent was looking for €90 each to do the honours. I think I will go myself now and only pay €40

jos28

Update :
Filled in the forms, went to the consulate this morning. Someone checks over the forms before you join the queue which is a great idea. The entire process took about 15 minutes and they will be ready for collection on Thursday. Happy days !

Pythia

I need to do this in the next few months. Planning on going to Beijing to visit someone for a week in May and see some tourist sites.

Presume it's just a case of filling out the form, bringing it down to the embassy and picking it up a few days later? As a tourist, I don't think I need a letter?

I imagine they will not post the passport back to you, you have to go down to drop off and collect?

killbillvol2

Pythia wrote: »

I need to do this in the next few months. Planning on going to Beijing to visit someone for a week in May and see some tourist sites.

Presume it's just a case of filling out the form, bringing it down to the embassy and picking it up a few days later? As a tourist, I don't think I need a letter?

I imagine they will not post the passport back to you, you have to go down to drop off and collect?

Post isn't an option. You must submit and collect from the consulate. It's ok to get someone else to collect it though. In fact, you could get someone else to drop it in but it's better to do that yourself in case there are any issues.

All ceminists are funts

jos28 wrote: »

Thanks a million folks. Travel agent was looking for €90 each to do the honours. I think I will go myself now and only pay €40

Could you please tell which travel agent quoted you 90?

I need to sort out a visa soon and, as I live far away from Dub, it would be worth paying the fee.

roundymac

w.ppcie.lnk.visafirst.ie/en/chinese_business_and_holiday_visas_info_ppc.asp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=chinese visas&utm_content=24066377787&utm_campaign=Ireland_Chinese_Visa_(Search)
I used a company, I think it was this one a few years back, I'm in Cork so going to Dublin was'nt really an option. Google Chinese Visas for other options if you don't want to use the one I'v given you.

sarkozy

Yes, getting the visa was fine. It all went off within the stated timeframe. No worries.

sawdoubters

no problem but your going to be hit by pollution


http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0117/China-s-pollution-The-desolation-of-smog

Pythia

Have just been to the embassy. Got there at about 9.20, about 6 or 7 people in the queue in front of me. Was out by about 10.05. There was a guy there that looked over your application while you queued.

Once I got to the counter, it was very quick. It will be ready in 4 working days.

Had to fill out a form I downloaded online, print out my flight and hotel details and bring my passport with me. Very easy in the end.

Only annoying thing is having to get a postal order for payment upon collection.

galwayjohn89

I was in yesterday. Seemed to be unlucky, was there for about an hour. Seemed like everyone in front of me had stuff done wrong. They were all up at the window for 5 minutes or so and then sent on their way still with the forms in their hands. I was only up at the window for 2 minutes max. By the time I left there were at least 25 people in the queue. Overall I thought it was well organised, it was just slow as people made mistakes and started arguing. Someone turned up without a passport and was adamant he could still get a visa.

sixshot87

Hi everyone!
Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with getting a tourist visa for China?

In particular I am wondering about the itinerary section. Do you need to have hotels booked in advance or just a general idea of the cities you plan to visit?

Any information or experience in relation to this would be appreciated!

Thanks

hungergamer

I got mine about a month ago. You have to have at least one hotel booked and visa application will not be accepted without a print out as proof of this.
I went into the Chinese embassy at 9 and was out by quarter past, picked my visa up three days later. Its all very simple once you have everything listed on the website.

killbillvol2

I had a number of hotels booked but they were only interested in the first one. They used to look for more detail. You'll also need confirmation of flights in and out.

And it's the consulate on Merrion Road you go to, not the embassy. They're open Monday to Thursday from 9-12.

agraydon1990

I am travelling to stay with a friend in China and I have a written letter from him to prove this (he has a Chinese work visa).

What are the documents which I need to bring?

I may plan on heading to Hong Kong once there and applying for a work visa if all goes well.

My initial query is just related to the tourist visa, I called the consulate to confirm what documentation I need but couldn't get through.

Could anybody help me?

Lockstep

Hi all,
Myself and Mrs Lockstep are heading to Hong Kong and Guangzhou in June to stay with a friend, we've the flights booked but haven't sorted the visa yet.

Looking up on the Chinese embassy website, we'd need to have an itinerary sorted out. Main problem we have with this is we're trying to keep things open: we'd like to add in an extra country or Beijing but are waiting until closer to the time to avail of flight deals and so on. As we don't have a full itinerary yet, would we be unable to apply for a visa until we do?


Also, as we'll be staying with a friend rather than a hotel, does anyone know how the invitation system works? Can he just send us an email or does it need to be snail mail?

Finally, how easy is to get a visa? Do they often refuse entry visas and what's the process: do we just show up with the relevant documents and it's otherwise routine?

Thanks a million.

killbillvol2

You'll need details of your flights in and out of mainland China. You don't need a visa for Hong Kong. They've relaxed a bit on the itinerary - they only want details of the first hotel you're staying in. On my last couple of applications I've booked a hotel on booking.com and cancelled after the visa was issued. My itinerary was pretty much made up.

I've never used an invitation so can't help there.

Grahamf

I am a frequent visitor to China (14 times in the last 12 months) and I want to apply for a multi-entry Business Visa. I was told by an agent in China that, as an Irish national, I must apply for this visa in Dublin. I can get a business letter, no problem. I am resident in Thailand and so going home is an expensive way of applying for this visa. Has anyone any experience in this area? Is anyone aware of another, hopefully nearer, destination that can issue this type of visa? If applying in Dublin how long does it take to get a visa?

killbillvol2

The Chinese clamped down on visas being issued in foreign embassies (i.e., not the home embassy of the applicant) a few years ago. Prior to that I got a visa in Bangkok twice.

If you can prove residency in Thailand, however, you can apply there.

Grahamf

Thanks Killbill, I hold a retirement visa in Thailand and I have a company with utility bills. So I can probably prove residency. What do you think?

killbillvol2

Grahamf wrote: »

Thanks Killbill, I hold a retirement visa in Thailand and I have a company with utility bills. So I can probably prove residency. What do you think?

That should be fine - after a bit of digging in my old bookmarks I found this:

3) Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship)

If you are not applying for the visa in the country of your citizenship, you must provide the original and photocopy of your valid certificates or visa of stay, residence, employment or student status, or other valid certificates of legal staying provided by the relevant authorities of the country where you are currently staying.

Here's the full link.

jimbobtravis

Hi

Sorry for being a little off topic but since there have been posts from people who have travelled to China multiple times, I figured ye would be best to ask.

My question is about employment details on the application. Would they ring my work for references, etc.?

I am planning to go travelling and will not be telling work until i hand in my notice.

killbillvol2

jimbobtravis wrote: »

Hi

Sorry for being a little off topic but since there have been posts from people who have travelled to China multiple times, I figured ye would be best to ask.

My question is about employment details on the application. Would they ring my work for references, etc.?

I am planning to go travelling and will not be telling work until i hand in my notice.

Very unlikely I'd say. They've certainly never done it for me. Maybe for a business visa but not for a tourist.

Afroshack

I went to China on an L (tourist) visa and this is what they wanted
Application forms (make sure your passport has 6 months left and doesn't need renewal before you write your number in)
Return flights booking
2-3 hotel or hostel bookings. I had over 10 printed out but they only need a couple.
Postal order.

Then you rock up to the office in Balls bridge, hand the forms, flights and hotels bookings over with a your passport. No appointments or phoning ahead needed, but do check opening times before you go.

Then pay the postal order 2-5 days later on collection.

Feckjob

Hi just wondering if anyone has any experience with getting a 12 month multiple entry L visa. Do you need flight details of every exit/re-entry or just the first? Also do they ever ask for bank statements of evidence of how much money you have?

Kennek1

Hi everyone,

Heading to china next month. Heading to the embassy on Thursday to apply for a tourist visa. I have been trying to research (from there site, tried phoning....all terrible) exactly what i need to bring with me.

So far i have: Visa application form filled out\ Passport\ Passport photos
Is there anything else i need to present them to make things as smooth as possible. It opens from 9 to 12 Monday to Thurs but is there any other tips that can help make things easy?

dwayneshintzy

Hotel booking info for when you get to China, dates of flights included on your form?

mahamageehad

Money too, it's not a cheap visa!
Please let me know how you get on, I'm also going to China next month.
I have some additional hurdles as I'm applying as an Irish citizen from Germany, but I'm bringing printed proof of all my flights and hotels/hostels in the country. I've also been told that if you're heading with a friend (not sure if it's relevant for you but I'm travelling with my boyfriend) that both names should be on all hotel bookings to make it as easy as possible.

Kennek1

Ok I will have flights and accommodation also....were backpacking for a month so we can only have accomadation for a few nights.

I wonder do we need bank statements? Hardly?

Also is payment done when collecting visa and is it done by bank draft?

nompere

Kennek1 wrote: »

Ok I will have flights and accommodation also....were backpacking for a month so we can only have accomadation for a few nights.

I wonder do we need bank statements? Hardly?

Also is payment done when collecting visa and is it done by bank draft?

Payment is on collection, and it's postal order, Bank of Ireland draft or AIB draft. They won't accept drafts from other banks.

killbillvol2

Kennek1 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Heading to china next month. Heading to the embassy on Thursday to apply for a tourist visa. I have been trying to research (from there site, tried phoning....all terrible) exactly what i need to bring with me.

So far i have: Visa application form filled out\ Passport\ Passport photos
Is there anything else i need to present them to make things as smooth as possible. It opens from 9 to 12 Monday to Thurs but is there any other tips that can help make things easy?

First off, you don't go to the embassy - you go to the consulate on Merrion Road. Go early - the queue builds up pretty quickly.

They'll want flight details and details of your first few days' accommodation. I've booked random places in the past on booking.com and cancelled later so you can do that if you're not 100% sure yet.

You pay on collection using one of the options nompere listed. There's a separate queue for collection so hardly any delay.